Washington Capitals (24-20-6, 54 pts) at Vancouver Canucks (16-28-5, 37 pts)
Venue: Rogers Arena
Date: Sunday, January 21
Time: 10:00 pm ET / 7:00 pm PT

TV: ESPN+ /Monumental Sports Network / Sportsnet
Radio: 
Washington Capitals – WJFK 106.7 FM
Vancouver Canucks – Sportsnet 650 AM

DraftKings Sportsbook Betting Lines:
Washington Capitals -1.5 ML -164
Vancouver Canucks – +1.5 ML +130
O/U 5.5

Washington Capitals News and Notes:

The Washington Capitals are on a bit of a slide, losing four of their last five games in what is an extremely tight race for the Eastern Conference wild card spot. After losing 2-5 to the Colorado Avalanche on Monday, they continue their six-game Western Conference road trip with very winnable games like tonight’s contest with the Vancouver Canucks, along with the Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers, Seattle Kraken, then back East to face the Detroit Red Wings. The Capitals must try to find some semblance of momentum in this road trip as their playoff chances are slowly starting to slip away.

Vancouver Canucks News and Notes:

The Vancouver Canucks have now mastered the art of tanking while also acquiring assets in the process. Currently on an eleven-game losing streak and going pointless in the last eight, you’d think the front office would be in shambles, but it is quite the opposite. President Jim Rutherford remains extremely confident in the tank direction, and their current capital of young players and picks, while also adding to that with Monday’s trade, where he sent Canucks leading scorer and veteran forward Kiefer Sherwood to the San Jose Sharks for AHLer Cole Clayton and two second-round picks.

Washington Capitals Projected Lines:

Ovechkin-Dowd-Frank
Protas-Strome-Beauvillier
McMichael-Sourdif-Leonard
Duhaime-Lapierre-Miroshnichenko

Chychrun-Carlson
Fehervary-Roy
Sandin-Chisholm

Thompson
Lindgren

Vancouver Canucks Projected Lines:

DeBrusk-E. Pettersson-Boeser
Kane-Kampf-O’Connor
Ohgren-Raty-Garland
Hoglander-Sasson-Karlsson

M.Pettersson-Hronek
Buium-Myers
Willander-E. N. Pettersson

Lankinen
Patera

Players to Watch:

Washington Capitals:

One Capital that might sneak under the Canucks noses tonight is Ethen Frank. Frank had a goal and an assist in his last game against the Colorado Avalanche, six points in his last six games, and just got moved up to the first line, alongside Alex Ovechkin and Nic Dowd. Whereas the crafty veteran centre Dylan Strome got moved down to the second line, where he can take over that leadership role even more and continue his momentum with four points in his last five games.

Vancouver Canucks:

Drew O’Connor has made a name for himself in Vancouver after being moved from the Pittsburgh Penguins last season, on track to crush his highest points total of 33 with 18 through just 49 games. With a goal in Monday’s loss against the New York Islanders and the loss of top scorer Kiefer Sherwood, O’Connor could be leaned on for some improved offensive chances. Whereas another youthful member of the Canucks, Elias Nils Pettersson, also made an impression with a point in his first game back from a short stint with the Abbotsford Canucks in the AHL.

Injury Report:

Washington Capitals:

C Pierre-Luc Dubois – IR
RW Tom Wilson – IR

Vancouver Canucks:

C Filip Chytil – IR
C Marco Rossi – IR
C Teddy Blueger – IR
G Thatcher Demko – IR
D Guillaume Brisebois – IR
D Derek Forbort – LTIR

Next Game:

Washington Capitals: Friday, January 23 at Calgary Flames – 9pm ET
Vancouver Canucks: Friday, January 23 vs New Jersey Devils – 10pm ET

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